How does a router work?

[StanTheMan]

Will a router help my lag? My dad is constantly downloading stuff via utorrent, and it slows our connection down so bad that i get about a 20% signal. If I were to buy my own router, by stay connected to the same internet provider, will that help my connection issue?

[LiNuX]

It won't speed things up, routers just routes your connection to multiple computers.

[StanTheMan]

Damn... Thanks Linux, just saved me $80

[Slay]

Clean your comp.
:/
Delete old torrents and torrent data.

[Dess]

When he goes to bed, pause his downloads... I used to have to do it to my mom and brother, just make sure you restart them before you go to sleep ... They'll never know the difference... Lol.

[Saph]

If your dad hogs the broadband width, ask him to either:

1) limit his downloads to doing it overnight while you guys're asleep or in school/at work/whatever time when you're not bothered by it.
2) Have his downloads paused until you're done.
3) Get his own seperate connection, like a wireless USB port or something.

But yeah another router doesn't do anything, a router is the little box you have with the little green lamps on it that has things such as power, wireless, internet, ethernet, phone, watever etc. etc. on it, and it has 1 plug going to the wall, another for the phone, and then 2 or more plugins which can then attach several computers to 1 connection. TECHNICALLY a router DOES slow your connection down, cause if you have the need for 1 you probably have a private family network, meaning more computers using 1 connection. Obviously that slows things down.

If all else fails, and he's still hogging it, I'd have someone look into the possibility of getting an optic cable connection. It is not quite a global option(for example where I live optics is not possible yet), but if you live in a relatively large city or a relatively popular suburb of said large city? Then I'll bet that you can get an optic installed. It is sortof expensive, but its several times faster than the 2nd best thing.

[Psychotray]

I got a router bro, I dont know how that stuff works, know what im sayin?